How To Put Up An A-Frame Tent

Put Up an A-Frame Tent. A detailed step-by-step guide showing you how to put up an old-fashioned A-frame tent. Watch this video and you'll never have trouble camping again!

Step 1: You will need

Your A frame tent which will include:

1 inner

1 waterproof flysheet which goes over the top of the inner

some pegs

some tent poles which will come in pieces

You might also need a mallet to hammer in the pegs if the ground is hard.

Step 2: Choose a good location

Find a flat area, ideally on ground higher than that around it. This means your tent won't flood when it rains and you won't be sleeping on a slope.

Don't pitch beneath trees as this can be dangerous. Falling branches pose a risk, as do lightning strikes in bad weather.

In most campsites you will have a set area as your pitch. But if you are camping in a crowded field, don't plonk your tent too near to somebody else's. Sound travels easily between tents, and you may need some space for guy lines and cooking. Give yourself a 6 metre berth from any neighbouring tents.

Step 3: Prepare the area

Clear away any stones, sticks or other sharp objects that may damage the floor of your tent and make the ground uncomfortable to sleep on.

Step 4: Lay out your tent

Spread the tent on the prepared ground. Make sure the door is positioned where you want it.

If you are forced to pitch on an incline or uneven surface, ensure the door faces downhill to prevent the tent flooding.

Step 5: Peg it out

Now you need to secure the inner part of the tent to the ground. Insert a peg through the loop in one corner.

Push or hammer pegs into the ground at a 45 degree angle so that the end of the peg is facing away from the tent. This stops the wind uprooting them.

Next move to an adjacent corner, pull the ten fabric taut and hammer in a peg. Then move onto the second two corners, each time making sure that the fabric is stretched tight . Your tent may have extra peg positions along each side. If so, peg out each one.

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Step 6: Assemble the poles

Slot the pole segments together. You may have two or three supporting poles, and possibly even a bridge support that runs along the roof of the tent and connects the two end poles. This will depend on your tent's design. We just have two.

Step 7: Erect the tent

Place one pole in the top corner of the tent at one end, then wedge it vertically into the ground. While in position, pull on the guy rope to suspend the pole.

Peg the guy rope to keep the end of the tent in place. Pull the guy rope as far as you can away from the tent. The further you peg it, the more secure your tent will be. If space is an issue, the guy ropes are adjustable. It is essential that the rope is taut.

Fit the second pole at the other end of the tent. Then peg the guy rope at this end.

Step 8: Flysheet

Throw the flysheet over the entire tent. Align the corners with the poles so it sits comfortably on top. Pull the end guy ropes out and secure them. Then peg the other guy ropes in place. Make sure that they are all taut.

Step 9: Final Check

Stand back and admire your work. Check that the flysheet doesn't sag and that it is not touching the inner part of the tent. Make sure that each guy rope is secured and that the pegs are sunk into the ground. If anything looks wrong, correct it.